I am extremely pumped for GTA 6 now, with my hype getting a huge injection this week with GTA 6 pre-orders opening up.

It's going to be such a huge release and moment in video games and wider culture, and we're almost there. Almost. We just have a few months to go before it'll start arriving through the internet or through our doors.

And so in the meantime, as well as other games in one's backlog, some folks, like me, might be wondering what to play for a bit of GTA 6 preparation. So I've racked my brains and consulted with colleagues to come up with the list below, any of which would be perfect to play in the run-up to GTA 6. Be they blockbusters from Rockstar (obviously), crime boss-themed games, fabulous driving games, and open world beauties, all of them echo some part of what makes the Grand Theft Auto series so special.

• View all of Amazon's current prices and Prime Day deals on video games

Even if these games aren't part of the wider Amazon Prime Day deals, they're still absolutely worth your time and money — some of them are a bit older too, so offer great value — and are great experiences in their own right.

Amazon Prime Day game deals

• PS5 games: God of War Ragnarok for just $32 and more
• Xbox games: loads of deals, including NBA 2K26 for just $10
• Nintendo Switch 2 games: Save $12 on the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition

Games to play before GTA 6

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

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Rob is the Managing Editor of TechRadar Gaming and Streaming, a video games journalist, critic, editor, and writer, and has years of experience gained from multiple publications. Prior to being TechRadar Gaming's Managing Editor, he was TRG's Deputy Editor, and a longstanding member of GamesRadar+, being the Commissioning Editor for Hardware there for years, while also squeezing in a short stint as Gaming Editor at WePC just before joining TechRadar Gaming. He is also a writer on tech, gaming hardware, and video games but also gardens and landscapes, and has written about the virtual landscapes of games for years.